Look again at Paul's statement: "The dead in Christ shall rise first." The rising of the dead in Christ has to be the first resurrection. The Scripture declares that those who belong to Christ will be raised "at His coming."

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming [parousia]. (I Corinthians 15:23) )

Now let us examine the qualifications for being resurrected, rising to meet Christ, and appearing with Him at His coming.

The souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God.

Which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.

"Beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God."

Although some of the Christian martyrs of history were killed by beheading, most were not. Many believers have been shot, some speared, some crucified, some strangled, some burned to death. Hundreds of thousands of saints have died for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God who were not beheaded.

We understand that God will not limit participation in the first resurrection to the relatively few saints who were beheaded. We must look for a deeper meaning of what it means to be beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God.

At the beginning of Chapter 19 of the Book of Revelation we find great rejoicing taking place among many people in heaven.

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. (Revelation 19:1,2)

The people in Heaven were rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon the Great.

Babylon the Great represents, as we understand it, the huge Christian organization of the last days. Babylon the Great will be the epitome of institutionalized Christianity, the ultimate denomination.

After the flood the children of Noah multiplied greatly, becoming the families and nations of mankind. At first they all spoke the same language.

Traveling together as one large group they came upon a plain in what now is Iraq, near the Euphrates River.

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4)

The children of Noah had attained that which the nations desire today. They were of one mind. Apparently there was no violence or warring among them. There seems to have been no lack of food or shelter.

They were doing what God commanded. They were multiplying on the earth and subduing nature.

There was nothing that they could not accomplish if they set their mind to it. What an ideal condition for mankind!

They determined to build a city and a tower that would reach into the heavens. Perhaps the tower was part of the city just as the entire new Jerusalem will be a tower that rises 1,500 miles from the surface of the new earth.

To be continued.